Geleerde in studeervertrek 1759

This is ‘Scholar in his Study’, an etching made by Simon Fokke, probably in the mid-18th century. The technique of etching involves covering a metal plate with a waxy, acid-resistant substance, then scratching an image into the wax. The plate is then immersed in acid, which bites away the exposed lines. Here, Fokke really shows off what the technique can do. Note the density of lines used to create shadow, and how the lightest areas of the print are almost completely untouched. Etching was a natural medium for the Enlightenment, when it became popular. Its capacity for reproducing fine detail matched the period's mania for observation and classification. Prints like this one were relatively inexpensive and portable, perfect for spreading ideas far and wide. You might say that etching was the social media of its day. It's an important reminder that, however elevated the subject of knowledge may seem, it always depends on a wider matrix of production and consumption.